Lawmaker Dennis Kwok to oppose proposed curbs on filibusters
Civic Party's new legislator Dennis Kwok says move to tighten rules to stop delaying tactics could be damaging to democratic process
New legal-sector lawmaker Dennis Kwok Wing-hang says he is ready to challenge any effort by the pro-government camp to prevent filibustering by tightening the Legco rules.
The barrister and Civic Party member said the Legco president already had enough power to control proceedings and tightening the rules could damage the spirit of the legislature.
Pro-establishment legislators have been advocating a change to the rules of procedure after delaying tactics by radical pan-democrats prevented Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying's government restructuring plan from being passed before the end of the last Legco session.
While acknowledging that filibusters "come at a heavy price", Kwok said any tightening of the rules would be damaging.
"[Filibustering] cannot be used on every single issue - that would stop the functioning of Legco," Kwok said. "But I think the existing rules of procedure already make it sufficiently difficult for members to continue to filibuster without limitation …
"I am wary of giving the president of Legco more power to shut out legislators who are returned by the people to participate in Legislative Council proceedings … hoping that would silence the dissident voices of minority opinion. That would not work in 21st century Hong Kong."
A 33-hour filibuster in May by members of People Power and the League of Social Democrats over by-election rules ended when president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing halted the debate.